Sewer cleaning mechanism



May 1943 G. A. SMITH 2,320,309

SEWER CLEANING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 3, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 n n n I Ill 1h 3 7 L I H INVENTOR.

EEIIIREE FLEmITH May 25, 1943. G. A. SMITH SEWER CLEANING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented May 25, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEWER CLEANING MECHANISM George A. Smith, Des Moines, Iowa Afillliftfidl'l September 3, 1949 Serial No. 355,195

2 Claims.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a sewer cleaning device having a self-reeling drum mechanism thereon for dispensing or Withdrawing a cable from a conduit such as a sewer main.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide a sewer cleaning mechanism wherein the cable used for propelling the knives of the device is automatically reeled on an internal drum while at the same time permitted to rotate for propelling knives or the like.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a sewer cleaning mechanism having incorporated therein a self-aligning flexible cutting knife.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a sewer cleaning mechanism that is extremely economical in manufacture, durable and efficient in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My' invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth,

Fig. 2 is an end cross sectional view of the 1 cable holding drum and is taken on the line 22 of Fi 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the forward end of the reeling mechanism more fully illustrating its construction and taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the cable reeling drum mechanism.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the cable reeling drum.

Fig. 6 is a top View of the drive shaft mecha nism and a partial section of a portion of the drum mechanism taken on the approximate line fi6 of Fig, 1.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevational View of the cutting knife mechanism.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged top plan view of the outting knife assembly.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged front view of a portion of the back plate of the drum showing the method a.

of securing the cable thereto.

Heretofore, when using a flexible cable type of sewer or conduit cleaning mechanism, it has been necessary to use a very complicated type of threading spool. In other words, a horidevice;

zontal spool was used having a movea'ble guiding arm for threading the cable about the spool or reel and for turning the cable at the same time. As as wellknown, these mechanisms are introduced into a sewer for the purpose of cleaning out roots and other material within the sewer mom for keeping it free and open. A long cable is used, and it is forced into the main while at the same time being rotated so that the knives attached to the end of the cable may cut any substance away from the walls of the conduit, Withthese prior mechanisms, it was necessary to give considerable attention to the winding drum inasmuch as it was necessarythat the cable be threaded onto the drum and prevented from kinking while so doing. This also leaves the cable out in the open where any of its inherent spring or twist is apt tocause trouble during the operation of the device. I have overcome such disadvantages as will be appreciated and as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

Referring to the drawings, I have used the numeral H) to designate a base portion havingv a forward bearing support II, a center bearing support [2 and a rearward bearing support l3. Secured to the base: member l0 between. the bearing supports l2 and I3 is the driving mechanism of device which I will now describe; The numeral l4 designates an ordinary electric motor of the reversible type, which is controlled by the ordinary type of double-pull, doublethrow switch l5. This motor is operatively connected by a belt Hi to a pulley ll, which in turn is mounted on a jack shaft l8; This shaft is is suitably journalled in the frame In as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The numeral l9 indicates a pulley wheel rigidly secured to the shaft I8 which drives, through the medium of a belt 20 and pulley 2|, the main drive shaft 22. This drive shaft 22 is journalled in bearings at the upper end of the bearing supports l2 and I3 respectively. It is to such a drive mechanism that I secure my cable drum and cleaning mechanism, which I will now describe. The numeral- 23 indicates a circular disc plate which is rigidly secured to the forward end of the drive shaft 22 and capable of being rotated thereby. This plate 23 serves as the back plate for the drum of the Secured to the outer peripheral edges of the plate 23 and extending forwardly, are the horizontal portions 24 which extend forwardly and thence curve inwardly'and forwardly to form a supporting structure 25 as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Secured to the forward end of these supporting members 25 is a plate 26, through which extends a hollow sleeve or tube 21.

The forward end of this tube is suitably journalled in the bearing which in turn is secured to the bearingsupport II and extends through the bearing a short distance as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Secured within the inwardly and forwardly curved portions of the frame 25 are the cable guide bars 28 which extend downwardly and thence curve rearwardly and thence forwardly to a point slightly forward of the rearward end of the tube 21 as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. These are the cable guide members. These members 29 are positioned between each of the frame members 25 and are rigidly secured in place. The numerals 29 and 30 designate a plurality of rings secured to each of the members 28 at the approximate rearward point of the curve of these members and serve to prevent the cable from kinking during the reeling operation of the drum. The numeral 3| indicates an elongated cable which has one of its ends secured by a bolt or like 32 to the plate 23. The cable then passes out of the drum through the sleeve 21 and has secured to its other end a blade holding shank 33. The numeral 34 indicates the blade portion having its central portion rigidly secured to the sleeve or like 33 and having each of its end portions curving outwardly and forwardly and terminating in the sharpened cutters 35 and 36. This blade is rigidly held on the blade holding sleeve 33 through the medium of a bolt or like 31 .as shown in Fig. '7 of the drawings. I have used the numeral 38 to indicate a ring placed about the forward portion of the drum proper and supporting the forward ends of the members 24 as well as the upper ends of the members 25 and 28.

' The practical operation of my device is as follows:

The cable 3| has one of its ends secured to the plate 23 through the medium of the bolt 32 and thence is wound within the drum portion formed by the members 24 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The other end of the cable 3! extends through the sleeve 21 and then has secured to its other end the knife holder 33 and blades 34. When using the devise, the motor is set in motion so as to turn the drum against the direction in which the cable is wound therein. The cable is then fed by hand into a conduit while it is rotating and the knife blades proceed to cut adj acent the inner walls of the conduit, cutting through roots or obstructions therein. The cable is fed out of the drum 24 and into the conduit the distance desired. After the conduit has been freed of all obstructions, the motor is reversed by throwing the switch 15 in the other direction, and thecable is pulled back into the sleeve 21. The rotation of the drum will cause the cable to assume a circular attitude and it will strike the rin 29 which will tend to bring the cable into a circular position. It will then pass over the ring 29 contacting the ring 3!], then it will pass over the ring 30 until the cable is coiled inside of the drum against the members 24 and the spring of thecable together with the rotation of the drum will cause it to wind within the enlarged drum portion of the device, while at the same time cause the cable 3| to rotate its longitudinal length for operating the cutting knives 34. Due to the rotation of the complete cage drum, the cable is usually coiled within the drum when forced thereinto through the tube 21 and at the same time the knives 34 continue to rotate during the unreeling of the cable or the rereeling of the cable. The rings 23 and 30 prevent the cable from kinking within the drum, as the coil enters the comb formed by the members 28 and gradually expands up the rearward slope of these members until it is firmly in place against the members 24. These rings 29 and 30 are generally known as anti-kinking rings. It will hereinafter be noted that I have designated the portion comprising the plate 23, the forwardly extending members 24 and the brace members 25 as the drum. The members 28 will hereinafter be referred to as the cable guide members, inasmuch as they perform the function of permitting the cable to coil and gradually increase the size of the coil until the cable coils are in place within the drum of the device.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a sewer cleaning mechanism which fulfills all of my objects, which does not require any complicated reel-threading mechanism, that has the cable contained internally in the drum, which wil1 not permit the cable to kink, and one which rotates the cable its longitudinal length during the extension or withdrawal of the cable into and out of a conduit. The motor l4 together with the shafts l8 and 22, pulleys I1, I 9 and 2|, and belts l6 and 20, will hereinafter be referred to as a driving mechanism and obviously this driving mechanism could be powered by any type of reversible prime mover. The cables used in this device are flexible helically wound spring steel.

It will also be noted that the rings 29 and 30 serve several distinct purposes in addition to being anti-kinking devices. The rings permit the coil to expand slowly on the almost vertical side of the enlarged drum portion, and at the same time, prevent the cable from kinking out between the members 28. Thus these rings make the device fool-proof in operation and the device requires no attention when operating the cable for cleaning conduits such as sewers or the like.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my improved sewer cleaning mechanism without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a frame, a substantially cylindrical drum having its outer peripheral portion of open cage-like construction and rotatably mounted in said frame, supporting members extending from the periphery of said drum inwardly towards the axis of said drum thence substantially horizontally to form a sleeve-like frame, a tubular member mounted within a portion of the sleeve-like frame, guide bars extending from a point adjacent one end of the said tubular member to a point within the confines of said drum thence outwardly to the periphery of the drum and adjacent the inwardly extending portion of the supoprting members, a ring secured to that portion of the guide bars which is within the confines of the drum and a. cable coiled in said drum and extending over the ring and guide bars and through the said tubular member.

2. In a device of the class described, a frame, a cable housing rotatably mounted in said frame, said cable housing being comprised of a vertically mounted circular plate and confining members extending horizontally from the periphery thereof, said members extending inwardly towards .the axis of rotation of said plate, thence forwardly and horizontally to a second circular plate to form a sleeve-like frame, a tubular member extending through said second-named plate, guide bars extending from a point adjacent one end of said tubular member to a point within said housing thence outwardly to a point adjacent 

